Folding stool



R. G. CUDINI FOLDING STOOL Nov. 21, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 17, 1948 R. G. CUDlNl FOLDING STOOL Nov. 21, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Filed Feb. 17, 1948 JNVENTOR.

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Patented Nov. 21, 1950 FOLDING STOOL Roger G. Cudini, Birmingham, Mich., assignor to Moynahon Bronze Company, a corporation of Michigan Application February 17, 1948, Serial No. 8,780

6 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to improvements in folding supports and particularly to improvements in folding stools.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide improvements in folding supports and folding stools in which the legs are so connected to the seat that they may be folded to provide a compact article which may be easily stored in a small place.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved, light weight folding stool which is sturdy in its construction and simple and economical to manufacture.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following specification, the drawings relating thereto, and from the claims hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings in which like numerals are used to designate like parts in the several views throughout:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a folding stool with parts broken away and showing parts in cross section embodying the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the stool shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1, with parts broken away and showing parts in cross section;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, a folding stool is illustrated which comprises a seat generally indicated at I. The seat, which is generally rectangular in form, has a bottom frame section 2 therearound, which is preferably formed of extruded aluminum and which has an inwardly directed flange 3 and a downwardly directed flange 4 therearound. A seat cushion 5 rests upon the flange 3 and is suitably secured to the border frame 2. The under surface of the seat cushion 5 may be of a suitable material such as wood or metal having an upholstered seat cushion mounted thereon.

Two pairs of legs 6 and l are disposed under the seat and such legs are preferably formed of aluminum tubing which is square in cross section. The legs 6 and i, when viewed in front elevation as shown in Fig. 2, are generally rectangular in shape and when viewed in side elevation, as shown in Fig. 1, are curved upwardly and inwardly. The legs 6 and I have transversely extending top sections 8 and transversely extending bottom sections 9. As viewed in Fig. 2, the leg members 1 are wider in the transverse dimension than the leg members 6 so that the legs may be folded to the position shown in Fig. l on the top of the seat with the leg 6 disposed within the adjacent side leg 1.

The leg members 6 and l are connected to the seat by means of hinge plates [0. The hinge plates Hi are formed with downwardly directed channel portions I I along the inner edges thereof. The transverse section 8 of one of the leg members is received within the channel section of one of the hinge plates and the transverse section 8 of the other leg member is received within the channel section of the other of the hinge plates Hi. The legs may be secured therein by welding or the like. When the legs are in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the top surface of the inner ends of the hinge plates I0 abut or bear against the under surface of the seat I.

The outer ends of the hinge plates H] are formed at an angle as indicated at [Z and terminate in alternating projections and spaces which are complementary in shape to alternate spaces and projections on the other hinge part [3. The hinge part I3 is suitably secured such as by welding to .the inside surface of the flange 4.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the legs 6 and I are shown in their stand-up position. When it is desired to store theseat, the legs I are folded around the sides of the seat I so that they lie against the top side of the seat. In the stand-up position, no bracing is needed between the legs 6 and 1 since due to their construction and positioning the loads are properly placed on the seat.

The legs may be latched in the stand-up position by suitable means, and for the purpose of illustration, a latch is illustrated which comprises a bracket or slide guide [4 which is secured to the underside of the seat and which slidably supports a pair of oppositely disposed plungers l5 having their adjacent ends spaced from each other. The projecting ends of the plungers latch into openings l6 formed in the adjacent face of hinge plates H! and are normally urged to the latching position by means of a spring 11. The plungers are provided with cam surfaces I8 within slots in the plungers and the latches may be released by means of an actuating bar [9 which is slidably supported on the under side of the seat by means of a guide 20. The slide bar l9 has cam fingers 21 disposed within the slots which engage the cam surfaces I8 and also has a depending trigger 22 on the outer end thereof. By drawing the trigger from the full line position as shown in Fig. 5 to the dotted line position, the plungers I5 are retracted from their latching position so that the legs 6 and 1 may be folded to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The slots in the plungers are of greater width than the cam fingers 2| so that either pair of legs may be latched independently of the other. That is, one plunger may move toward the other plunger to latch one pair of legs, and the other may follow, or both may be latched simultaneously. A stop 23 may be fixed to the under surface of the seat so as to limit the movement of the slide bar [9.

Formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention disclosed without departing from the spirit and substance .of the invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A folding support comprising a support, a pair of legs at opposite ,sides of said support disposed thereunder and having the upper ends thereof disposed inwardly of the adjacent side of said support, hinge plates having their inner ends secured to the upper ends of the adjacent legs and means 'hingedly connecting the outer edges of said plates to the adjacent outer edges of said support.

2. A folding support comprising a support, a pair of legs at opposite sides of said support disposed thereunder and having the upper ends thereof disposed inwardly of the adjacent side of said support, hinge plates .adapted to bear against the under side of said support and having their inner ends secured to the upper'ends of the adjacent legs, and means hingedly connecting the outer edges of said plates to the adjacent outer edges of said support.

3.. A folding stool comprising a seat of substantial thickness, a pair of legs at opposite sides of said support disposed thereunder and having the upper ends thereof disposed inwardly of the adjacent side of said support, hinge plates adapted to bear against the under side of said seat and having their inner ends secured to the upper ends of the adjacent legs and means hingedly connecting the outer edges of said plates to the adjacent outer edges of said support, the construction and arrangement of said legs and hinge plates being such that said legs may fold around the sides of said seat to a position on the top of said seat.

4. A folding stool comprising a seat of substantial thickness, rectangular members forming .a pair of legs at opposite sides of said support disposed thereunder and having the upper ends thereof disposed inwardly of the adjacent side of said support, said rectangular members having difierent widths, hinge plates adapted to bear against the under side of said seat and having their inner ends secured to the upper ends of the adjacent legs, and means hingedly connecting the outer edges of said plates to the adjacent outer edges of said support, the construction and arrangement of said legs and hinge plates being such that said legs may fold around the sides of said seat to a position on the top of said seat.

5. A folding support comprising a support, a pair of legs at opposite sides of said support disposed thereunder and having the upper ends thereof disposed inwardly of the adjacent side of said support, hinge plates having their inner ends secured to the upper ends of the adjacent legs, means hingedly connecting the outer edges of said plates to the adjacent outer edges of said support, and latch means secured to the under side of said support and connectable with said hinge plates adjacent their inner ends.

6. A folding support comprising a support, a pair of legs at opposite sides of said support disposed thereunder and having the upper ends thereof disposed inwardly of the adjacent side of said support, hinge plates having their inner ends secured to the upper ends of the adjacent legs, means hingedly connecting the outer edges of said plates to the adjacent outer edges of said support, latch means secured to the under side of said support and connectable with said hinge plates adjacent their inner ends, said latch means including a pair of plungers independently movable toward and away from each other, and means to simultaneously withdraw said plungers to their unlatching position.

ROGER Gr. CUDINI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 704,590 Stimson July 15, 1902 1,022,767 Beistle Apr. 9, 1912 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 47,458 Austria Apr. 10, 1911 132,269 Austria Mar. 10, 1933 

